Don't Leave Me
by Arania10
Summary: What happens post-3x24? I don't know, but this is just a little bit of writing I felt like doing concerning that very topic.
1. Chapter 1

"Sshhh… Kate, please. Stay with me, Kate.

Don't leave me.

Please?

Stay with me, okay?

Kate, I love you. I love you, Kate."

The sniper was on the run. What was once a peaceful service morphed into a bizarre, chaotic mess. Yet amid the commotion, nothing could tear Castle's attention from Beckett and Beckett's attention from Castle. Not until she faded from consciousness in his arms, that is.

Castle held her limp body as a single tear streamed down his face. He didn't want to lose her. He couldn't lose her. People shouted in the background. Present officers called for assistance. And yet Richard Castle heard nothing but a raging silence in his head. Esposito tried to get his attention, calling out his name, but it was in vain. The writer knelt in the grass next to Beckett in shock. It wasn't until he was eventually pushed away by Esposito and Lanie began attending to Beckett that he snapped out of it somewhat.

"Are _you_ okay, Castle?" Esposito checked.

"Physically?" he countered.

Esposito nodded, understanding. "Did you get a good look at the dirtbag? Any specifics we can go on? We've got guys pursuing him, but he…" Though Esposito continued speaking, Castle's focus was once again pulled away by the seemingly lifeless detective laying a few feet diagonal from him. By this point in time, other emergency personnel had begun to flood the scene. His view of Beckett became obstructed by this new swarm of uniforms so he started moving back toward them, not wanting to let her leave his sight. But as he leaned forward, a sturdy hand held him back.

"Bro, let them be. They're taking care of her as well as anyone can right now." Esposito said, looking away towards the group huddled over the detective. He continued, trying to calm Castle's nerves, "She has the best possible…" But once again Detective Esposito's voice became noiseless chatter by the writer. All he understood was the sight of Beckett being lifted up on to a gurney and rushed to a nearby parked ambulance. While Esposito rambled, Castle jumped back onto his feet to hurry after her.

"Yo! Castle!" he heard a faint voice call after him. Yet as Beckett was being placed into the emergency vehicle, a gentler yet just as firm hand held him back once more. Broken, he turned to view his latest obstacle. Lanie looked back at him seriously yet with more emotion than his previous adversary, clearly trying to hold it together herself. "Castle, you can't ride with her right now, I'm sorry."

"Lanie, I've got to…" he started, trying to make his way once again towards the vehicle.

"No. You've got to take care of your mother and daughter while we take care of Kate. There's nothing you can do for her right now, but you can do something for your family. One of the responding officers here will drive you three to the hospital. There we can all keep tabs on how she's doing. But until then, you and your family will be escorted by Officer Cooper." She gestured towards an officer who stood just behind Castle. Turning to acknowledge this person's presence, he finally noticed Martha and Alexis standing there in shock. He glanced back towards the ambulance once more, but as he did the doors slammed shut and it began speeding off into the warm light.

Once again he swiveled back around to face his family, his world, and felt as though he was being ripped apart. An unconscious Kate sped towards the emergency room and he had not saved her. He did not protect her as a partner should. Meanwhile, his mother stood next to his daughter, both with tears in their eyes though Martha tried to hold it back as much as possible beneath her sunglasses. How could he have put them all in danger? Everyone he loves? He saw his own hurt and fear written clearly all over Alexis. How could he have allowed her, his pride and joy, to be exposed to all of this danger, heartache, and panic? And yet while he contemplated all this, his mind couldn't help but continue to wander back to Kate.

Finally, he moved over to embrace his family and turned to nod at the officer, a sign for them to all pack in the cruiser and meet the next chapter head on, sirens blazing.


	2. Chapter 2

Castle sat in the back of the cruiser between Martha and Alexis, holding their hands. There was an air of tension and yet mutual comfort and love. For half the journey nobody spoke for fear of opening Pandora's Box.

Martha had been studying her son's face. Well-versed in the expressions of Richard Castle, she knew she couldn't let him stew for the remainder of the ride to the E.R. "It's not your fault, Richard."

Young Alexis was shocked to hear that those were the first words to enter the silent vehicle. She had been focused on the traumatic event only from her own perspective and hadn't yet truly considered what it was her father was going through – not seriously. She turned her head to face her dad with the same calculating expression Martha had been wearing for the past few miles.

When Castle didn't respond, didn't make eye contact, but merely flicked his eyes and clenched his jaw ever so slightly, Alexis surprised even herself by moving into the role of comforter. "Dad, Gram's right. You know that, right?"

As his daughter spoke to him, Castle's face softened just a bit, but he had no sufficient words in him to respond. So Martha continued, "You were there for her when she needed you most. You spotted the sniper. You alerted her to the danger. And you tried to save her. There is nothing more you could have done. Don't blame yourself."

At that point three wayward tears fell from his face. Unwilling to speak yet about it, he just sat there between two of the three women in his life that made him whole. Their comfort and understanding allowed him to keep the demons of his mind at bay – a little. The next thing he knew, Officer Cooper had reached their destination and the quiet moments of the past eight minutes were quickly forgotten in the chaos of this new environment.

As he exited the car with his family Castle began wildly looking around to find recognizable figures - someone with information on Kate's whereabouts and condition. His eyes scanned the perimeter quickly, but he was distracted by a squeezing of his left hand. Martha had reached for him to tell him that she and Alexis would be around, and there was no need for him to stick tight to them for the foreseeable future. But before she could finish her statement, a hospital employee beckoned the three newcomers to follow him.

After being led through some of the white-washed, sterile hallways of the hospital, they promptly arrived at a communal area for the E.R. It was there that they were reunited with many familiar faces from the 12th precinct, Lanie, and Jim Beckett.

"Well?" Castle's first word since leaving the cemetery didn't even really need to be spoken.

"She's back there and they're working on her. Still in critical condition last I heard. Really, we don't have much to go on and I have no authority here to get more detailed information," Lanie explained. "However, we did contact Josh who appears to have been on shift. He's not allowed to so much as touch her due to their relationship, but he's able to access files and talk to those in charge more easily. He said he'd come back shortly and let us know exactly how she is."

"When?" Castle demanded.

"As soon as he comes back, Castle. We're in this together. I'm certain Josh will-"

Speak of the devil. Josh came confidently striding out some double doors nearby while Lanie was finishing up her response. At once all eyes were on the man in scrubs before them.


End file.
